Kangaroos come up losers in state Senate vote

It was a dark day for kangaroos today in the state Capitol as the Senate approved a bill to end California’s 35-year-old ban or selling or possessing products made out of the springy marsupial.

Opposed by animal rights groups, the measure is backed by Adidas America. Kangaroo skin is reputed to make good soccer shoes. The bill “is sensitive to endangered species while at the same time stimulates the economy,” said the bill’s author Sen. Ron Calderon, D-Montebello (Los Angeles County).

California and New York are the only states that do not distinguish between products made from endangered kangaroos and non-endangered kangaroos.

Calderon’s bill would only allow products to be sold in California that are made from the leather of non-endangered kangaroos.

But opponents, like Sen. Sheila Kuehl, D-Santa Monica (Los Angeles County), said there was no assurance soccer shoes or other products such as vests and gloves used by law enforcement officers were actually made from the skin of a non-endangered kangaroo.

“I don’t think that there is any guarantee the kangaroo skin products come from kangaroos who are not protected,” said Kuehl before voting against the bill.

Calderon countered that the Australian government has strict penalties enforces laws against the killing of endangered kangaroos. Also he said that Internet sales of kangaroo skin products make the law obsolete since it is only illegal to sell or import such products, not possess them. A case is pending before the state Supreme Court filed by an animal rights group against a seller of Adidas kangaroo skin shoes.

Sent to the Assembly by the 40-member Senate on a 27 to eight vote, Calderon’s measure must still clear the lower house and be signed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger before becoming law. The GOP governor has yet to take a position on the bill.